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Mazda hasn't had a power soft or hardtop anything since the FC vert, but this car looks incredible and is definitely a bit of a stray from the ordinary for the Miata. It's always been about simple yet effective setups, and while this is a notable curve ball to that, I actually really like it.

RF is short for Retractable Fastback, and while this is a prototype and the press wasn't allowed to really check it out too much, it appears to otherwise be equipped identically to a fully loaded Grand Touring model of the current standard MX-5, with a few tweaks to the body lines besides to help really set the look apart from what is already a fairly evocative car in the aesthetic department.

Dunno what to think about this. I still don't think it looks good due to Mazda's design department taking the brown acid, but I like that they're moving away from traditional tops to make something more technologically modern.

I read there's a 110# penalty over the regular one. I also hear the hard roof will probably make installing a rollbar a lot more difficult, but we'll wait to see once it gets here and rollbar manufacturers get their hands on it. There's clearly some rollover protection there, but how safe is it really if it is made to fold out of the way?

There is still one thing I want Mazda to address with their interiors and that's the display sticking out at the top of the dashboard. After sitting in a new Mazda 3, it just looked awkward to me as opposed to the traditional stereo controls setup.

There is still one thing I want Mazda to address with their interiors and that's the display sticking out at the top of the dashboard. After sitting in a new Mazda 3, it just looked awkward to me as opposed to the traditional stereo controls setup.

Yeah, those are pretty weird, with the way they look and are placed they look like they should be removable. It's a weird design to say the least.

Yeah, those are pretty weird, with the way they look and are placed they look like they should be removable. It's a weird design to say the least.

They're not as bad as you think. The dash angles downwards ever so slightly, so the top of the screen is barely an inch higher than the highest portion of the dash (not including the cluster hood).

So in the end, its not obstructive and doesn't create the bulky look associated with high mounted center displays with hoods.

I personally like the look, the software on the other hand is total trash on mazdas. It'll freeze browsing through radio stations with no way to hard reset the system unless you turn the car off. Yeah...

Heh, I totally forgot about the power hardtop on the NC. You never see them so it slipped my mind.

I actually really like the new interior designs as well, especially in the smaller cars. The display creates less of a bulk and divide in the dash as a result of how it's mounted, and it's really easy to reach and not in a location that moves your eyes off the road like it is for a lot of manufacturers. I mean, plenty of people mount phones up there for nav or music or whatever because of the ease of it, so it kinda makes sense to put your integrated connectivity system in the same area.

Plus, they are touch screen so it just makes sense for it to be at eye height.

I'm not a fan of the software either, but, it's TomTom, so you can't really expect much. There are update recalls for the CMU for a few cars but outside of that I don't think there's been much development into overall improvement. But it's new for Mazda, and it's definitely a start.

Plus, they are touch screen so it just makes sense for it to be at eye height.

They're touch screen until you go past 10 MPH. Then it's all controlled by the nav wheel, which btw, is quite fantastic. I prefer physical interaction to a non-haptic touch interface anyway. This is something I hate about the Model S. Yes its a giant tablet. No, its not that much easier to key in addresses on it than you would on a phone, even as the passenger.

Anyways, the menus on the Mazda aren't over-designed and over complicated like on BMW's comparable i drive. The Mazda way of navigating the menu is very natural and intuitive with the wheel.

Which reminds me, since you work at the Mazda dealer now, I really need to take our 3 in for another software update.

I agree about the control knob being nice. I didn't get to play enough with the software but could tell it was nothing like what Audi or BMW use. It still makes the stereo screen on my 1st gen Mazda 3 look like an Atari game though. To me, the protruding screen just comes off as a theft risk and I wish atleast it could be retracted/hidden when not in use.

Had the opportunity to look at a new MX-5 on Friday, and was pleasantly surprised how much nicer the car looked in-person, especially in red.

They're not as bad as you think. The dash angles downwards ever so slightly, so the top of the screen is barely an inch higher than the highest portion of the dash (not including the cluster hood).

So in the end, its not obstructive and doesn't create the bulky look associated with high mounted center displays with hoods.

I personally like the look, the software on the other hand is total trash on mazdas. It'll freeze browsing through radio stations with no way to hard reset the system unless you turn the car off. Yeah...

I actually was at a Mazda dealership recently and some of their touchscreens, like the ones in some of their crossovers like the CX-3, have the touchscreen built into the dash like other cars, look good, unlike the ones on their sedans.

They're touch screen until you go past 10 MPH. Then it's all controlled by the nav wheel, which btw, is quite fantastic. I prefer physical interaction to a non-haptic touch interface anyway. This is something I hate about the Model S.

Which reminds me, since you work at the Mazda dealer now, I really need to take our 3 in for another software update.

Very true. I always forget that they disable that since 99% of the time I'm in a new Mazda these days I'm just moving it around the lot.

Yep, there's an update to a 31.X version for the CMU software now. Also if you haven't had it done there's the lack of power in cold weather update for the ECU, and a couple other dumb recalls.

Still nowhere near as idiotic as the recall for the 6 because certain types of spiders can enter one of the EVAP vents and will clog it up with webs. I mean, how often is that really a thing?

QUOTE (RalliKai @ Mar 28 2016, 07:50 AM)

I agree about the control knob being nice. I didn't get to play enough with the software but could tell it was nothing like what Audi or BMW use. It still makes the stereo screen on my 1st gen Mazda 3 look like an Atari game though. To me, the protruding screen just comes off as a theft risk and I wish atleast it could be retracted/hidden when not in use.

Had the opportunity to look at a new MX-5 on Friday, and was pleasantly surprised how much nicer the car looked in-person, especially in red.

The console knobs are nice, I will agree. I don't know about a theft risk though... I mean, it's part of the dash. Yes, it can be removed, but it's also integrated into the CAN bus and use a proprietary plug, there's no way it can be used anywhere else.

And yes, the New Miatas look Fantastic in red. Especially with those red Brembos.